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July 7, 2006
Iraqi Forces Finally Focus On Sadr City
Topics: IraqApparentyly the Iraqis and Americans have made the decision to take-on the job of cleaning up Sadr City in Baghdad - the Shi'ite enclave that has spawned militias associated with Moqtada al-Sadr's Mahdi Army - "long a provocation for the majority Sunni population of greater Baghdad and a threat to the authority of the new federal government." Now we see that Iraqi forces, backed by American support, have captured two major leaders of militia efforts, including one (named by local people as Abu Diraa) who had been involved in bringing weapons into Iraq from Syria (question of the day - why haven't we targeted Syria for aiding and supporting the insurgency via its tacit approval by allowing insurgents to operate within its borders???):
Iraqi forces backed by U.S. aircraft battled militants in a Shiite stronghold of eastern Baghdad early Friday, killing or wounding more than 30 fighters and capturing an extremist leader who was the target of the raid, Iraqi and U.S. officials said.Captain Ed offers that Iraq has to continue its efforts to disarm and disband Shi'ite militias such as the Mahdi Army and its spinoffs, and that they present an acute problem as today has proven; bombs hit three Sunni mosques and one Sunni cleric has been abducted, and Shi'ite militias are the logical suspects. As long such activities are allowed to continue, the Sunnis have a basis for rejecting political engagement in a federal system and have an excuse for allowing and supporting native insurgencies "for tit-for-tat protection that could produce a civil war." Captain Ed has additional commentary...In another operation, Iraqi troops backed by U.S. soldiers arrested a top regional commander of a Shiite militia near Hillah, a U.S. statement said. The moves appeared part of a crackdown on sectarian militias blamed for the escalation in Shiite-Sunni violence that has led to fears of civil war in recent months. ...
U.S. officials did not identify the insurgent leader but residents of the Shiite neighborhood said he was Abu Diraa, a commander in the Mahdi militia of radical cleric Muqtada al-Sadr.
The U.S. statement said the militant leader was involved "in the transfer of weapons from Syria into Iraq" in an effort to break away "from his current insurgent organization." The statement did not mention any U.S. role in the raid, but residents said they could hear American aircraft providing cover.
In a statement Thursday, the U.S. said Iraqi and U.S. forces also arrested Adnan al-Unaybi, commander of a Mahdi militia force south of Baghdad. The statement said he was arrested north of Hillah, about 60 miles south of Baghdad.
Times Online notes that the Mehdi army in Sadr City is likely th most "out of control" group in Baghdad at the moment, but they have links to people in government so no-one has been entirely sure how to deal with it. The violence perpetrated by the Shia militias against Sunni civilians, like the atrocities carried out by Sunni insurgents, have long been one of the main impetuses behind the sectarian violence in Iraq.
Posted by Richard at July 7, 2006 10:47 AM
Articles Related to Iraq:
- Iraqi Forces Finally Focus On Sadr City - Jul 07, 2006
